Hanoi, (VNA)𒈔 – Senator John McCain, whohelped lay the foundation for a cooperative Vietnam-US relationship, passedaway on August 25 (US time) at the age of 81.
McCain himself served in the invadingwar of the US in Vietnam. He joined in the Rolling Thunder air campaign in1967, bombing targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (northern Vietnam). His plane was shotdown on October 26, 1967 and McCain was taken prisoner. He was returned to the US in an exchange of prisoners in 1973. Returning from Vietnam, McCain joined politics and was one of the first personscampaigning for normalization ofUS-Vietnam relations through promoting humanitarian issues such as removingunexploded ordnance left by the war, searching for missing-in-action personnel,supporting people with disabilities caused by the war, and detoxifying areaspolluted by dioxin. In 1994, the US Senate approved a resolution sponsoredby McCain and Senator John Kerry, calling to end the economic sanction againstVietnam, paving the way for the normalization of relations between the twocountries one year later. Following the normalization of bilateral ties, McCainand Kerry visited Vietnam many times to address the issue of Americanmissing-in-action soldiers (POW/MIA). Along with pushing for the normalization of relationswith Vietnam, Senator McCain also supported the Vietnamese community in the US,serving as a bridge between them and the US authorities as well as theVietnamese Government. At a meeting with the Senator in Washington DC onJanuary 21, 2016, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh praised theSenator for his great contribution to the friendly and cooperative relationsbetween the two countries. In reply, McCain said he always attaches importance tothe US-Vietnam relations, and for him, Vietnam has an important position and rolein the region. Senator McCain is one of the persons who have laid thefoundation for the Vietnam-US ties to develop into a comprehensive partnershipwith remarkable progress across the fields, benefiting both countries atpresent.-VNA
National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Gen. Do Ba Ty is leading a high-level delegation of the NA on a working visit to the United States from July 21-27.
Former US Vice President Al Gore has spoken highly of Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements as well as great strides in the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership, especially in trade and investment.
Vietnam always considers the US one of the most important partners and wants to push forward the practical and effective development of bilateral comprehensive partnership for the benefit of the people of the two countries, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 3.
The Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership has seen remarkable progress over the past few years with important achievements obtained in all areas, but huge potential remains unleashed for the cooperation between the two countries, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc.
Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and Deputy Minister of National Defence, hosted a reception on August 20 for Commanding General of the US Army Pacific Command (USARPAC) Gen. Robert B. Brown.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Senator John McCain (Photo: Reuter) 
